COR 411 THE MAYA PROPHECIES FOR 2012: DOOMSDAY OR A NEW DAY?
What is prophecy? How did the ancient Maya conceptualize time, and what place do prophecies have in their view of the universe? Why is the date December 21, 2012, so significant in Maya culture? What phenomena have the ancient Maya predicted for the period leading up to that date? Have any of the predictions come true so far? What fact and fiction are included in the films, documentaries and other examples of popular culture that have appeared over the past few years associated with that date? In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will attempt to answer these questions by reading texts by and about the ancient Maya, reflecting on recent developments in astronomy, earth science and human interactions, and examining with a critical eye the manifestations of popular culture related to the 2012 date. This course is writing intensive. Open to students in the third or fourth year of study. Counts toward the Latin American Studies minor.
Course Types
Core Interdisciplinary Seminar; Latin America Studies Elective